These Photos Of Pete Hegseth Probably Defy New Pentagon Policy Against Unflattering Pics

Although the Pentagon declined to specify its criteria for determining if a photo makes Hegseth look bad, here are some images that might qualify.

The Pentagon is apparently going to war against press photographers who take “unflattering” photos of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

According to The Washington Post, the Defense Department blocked some press photographers from attending briefings about the ongoing war with Iran because Hegseth’s staffers found them “unflattering.”

The ban was instituted after a briefing on March 2 that marked Hegseth’s first appearance in the briefing room since June 2025. Photographers from several outlets, including Reuters, Getty and The Associated Press, attended the briefing with Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Dan Caine.

After photos from the briefing were published, some of Hegseth’s staff members were reportedly miffed at how Hegseth looked in the pics. It is unclear whether Hegseth’s aides were bugged by a single photo or several, but some photographers were shut out of subsequent briefings on March 4 and 10. Only Defense Department staff photographers have been permitted into briefings since then.

Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a statement to the Post that the DoD was attempting to “use space in the Pentagon Briefing Room effectively” by allowing “one representative per news outlet if uncredentialed, excluding pool.”